Company masquerading as single user asks for domain

[tollund]

Anyone ever been approached by someone pretending to be a small-time end user and asking to buy one of your domains for cheap because they "forgot to renew it" and "use it for email purposes", only to find out they are an employee of a company which has forgot to renew their domain name?

Yes, this happened to me, and yes, I sold it back to them but probably not for as much as I could have as I didn't want to "hold them to ransom". It was a domain that I tried selling to other end users and felt it was worth around $250, but didn't get any takes and was looking like I would let it drop. I got it from a hand reg and sold it for $75, so I can't complain.

However, I was annoyed that I had been lied to and they had misrepresented themselves.

Thoughts?

 

[mrjohn]

I've never had it happen to me, but I do find the approach clever.

As for being lied to . . . it's business.

I have no empathy for people who let domains complete expiration to the point they drop or are auctioned. The amount of time it takes from when you get your first renewal notice email until your domain finally ends up in the possession of a third party is shockingly long.

The very shortest track is 45 days! If in 45 days you can't be bothered to notice the hideous parking page that is put on your site and move to remedy that problem, frankly you deserve to lose your domain. They obviously didn't care enough to deal with it.

One thing I've learned about the human race: sympathy is a gimmick. Nothing more. Anyone who is appealing to your sense of sympathy is doing so because they want to trade at a lower cost.

 

[Soofi]

well you selling at lesser price is your own fault, and umm mis-representation is part of the business as said earlier by mrjohn because being behind this little screen you cannever tell who the other person is until and unless you have some extra-ordinary powers :lol:

Question I have here for you is, did you learn something from this stint? never, ever trust any one else actually other then your basic instinct and do what you think is right, and at the end of the day be satisfied with whatever you have done or actions taken earlier in the day!

You sold it for the price, you think was right at the time of selling it, and shouldn't repent it now.

 

[tollund]

well you selling at lesser price is your own fault

In the end I was happy enough with the price.

I'm glad I never offered to transfer the domain before receiving payment like I usually do, if the person in question was dishonest enough to represent themselves like they did, then I doubt they would have paid me.

It still amazes me how crooked some people are, whether we deal with them face to face or over the internet.

 

[liquidcherry]

In the end I was happy enough with the price.

That is all what matters, stop thinking about the"if's and maybe's, take it as lesson learned...in the end you made some money

It still amazes me how crooked some people are, whether we deal with them face to face or over the internet.

i don't think you should call this "sting" crooked rather call it "smart they have been", right? just ask yourself if you would be the buyer, wouldn't you try the same...and again, like everybody is saying this is just how business is conducted(well actually this is how it works at any bazaar in the middle east, negotiating is the key)...other than in your local grocery where the price is fixed (but you can still go to another store to get a better price on the same item lol)

Cheers

Liquid

 

[tollund]

i don't think you should call this "sting" crooked rather call it "smart they have been", right? just ask yourself if you would be the buyer, wouldn't you try the same...

No, actually I wouldn't try and fool anyone by blatantly lying about myself. I don't think that misrepresentation is being "smart".

I value honesty, and treat people as I want to be treated. There is a difference between being a savvy negotiator and conning someone.

Of course I understand the reality is that this happens all the time, but was interested in seeing if this had happened to other domainers here when dealing with end users.

 

[Domainace]

I have gotten these, and so far just played along. Understandably, many companies don't want to identify themselves because it would put them in a weak bargaining position. Since many domainers (myself included) might try to push up the price against a corporation that obviously needs the name, I can't say I blame them.

I've been tempted to say, halfway through negotiations, that I know who they are - but I haven't yet. I probably should. If I'm diplomatic enough, the slight embarrassment they might feel at their deception might result in a bump in their purchase price out of guilt.

 

[tollund]

That's a very good point you make Domainace, I can see how exposing them halfway through the negotiations could result in embarrasment and a potentially higher offer. There's nothing wrong with that or being honest and letting them know that you realise who they are...

 

[glaxxon]

Uh how do you know or come to know who they really are? I dont see how you can know that untill the deal is complete.

 

[bmugford]

There is a fine line between using a middleman and outright lying. I have no problem with a company using a middleman to try to acquire a domain. Why should a company openly display who they are? The majority of domains are basically noobs with totally unrealistic price expectations to start with. You introduce a large company and it basically makes most domainers even more ridiculous in pricing.

There is a difference though between that and outright lying. The ones that annoy me are people who make up a story, especially about being non profits.

Last year a company offered $100 on a domain and tried to say it was for a church project. I was able to figure out the real commercial use for the domain and called them on it. In the end they apologized and offered $2,000+ for it.

Another company tried to contact me with the lie that they were a non profit and needed the .ORG domain. Then I found out the company was one of the largest providers of DIY books.

I have found in general if a party tends to give you too much unsolicited information about their use for a domain, it is usually BS.

Brad

 

[glaxxon]

Well that makes sense. One more thing was do these middle men in general introduce themselves as say a sedo broker for example,or just play as the interested party?

 

[mrjohn]

To my view, I have a price in mind. If you beat that price, you got yourself a domain. If you don't, then you don't get a domain.

I know what all my domains are worth. If someone else can make a little money -- or save a little money -- within the margin between what they buy it from me for and what they do with it, more power to them.

One of the things I've never understood with domainers is the need to milk every last cent out of a sale. It's not that important as long as you turn a profit.

 

[tollund]

Last year a company offered $100 on a domain and tried to say it was for a church project. I was able to figure out the real commercial use for the domain and called them on it. In the end they apologized and offered $2,000+ for it.

Wow, that is a big win indeed!

 

[Domainace]

I have found in general if a party tends to give you too much unsolicited information about their use for a domain, it is usually BS.

A very good observation. It seems to apply in many situations, not just domaining.

 

[Soofi]

I sold a domain for $2K where this guy who owns a media company said that he was trying to acquire domain name for his gf as a birthday gift :P and offered me low $xxx, however I did some research and found out that he owned a media company and was probably acting on behalf of someone lol

In negotiations I was able to tab him at a firm price of $2k for this cvcy!!

you just need to know what you are doing when playing these games IMHO